When I got back from my sidesaddle lesson I was rather overexcited about the fact that I had ridden a PUREBRED! CLASSICALLY TRAINED! LUSITANO! and couldn’t wait to show people the photos that my mum took of the lovely Xis. Some people were a little disappointed, and said, “But he just looks like a pony,” and I wondered if perhaps some horses weren’t photogenic, or somehow failed to give their best in the camera lens. The answer is a lot simpler. It’s all about the rider.
Here’s Xis noodling around the school with me as I try to work out how the hell to stay on board the sidesaddle:
Last week Mum went back to Pine Lodge to watch their annual display, and caught this shot of Xis with the German classical rider, Ute Pulvermacher:
See what I mean?
It is very lowering isn’t it? Same thing happens to me.
I was just hoping I didn’t upset him too much, but I think he was half asleep most of the time I was on him.
I have a sleep inducing effect on most horses. I like to think it’s nice for them to have a rest, though I suspect Major Holbrooke would be yelling LEGS at me. In fact, anyone with half an eye would be yelling LEGS at me. And BAD, very BAD.
Ah, LEGS! The cry of my youth. In Germany, this was replaced by “FLEIßIG!” – I didn’t know what it literally meant, but I caught the drift…
I’m sure that a kind of wig and a squat top hat would suit you and there’d be no difference whatsoever.
Er…in the second pic, that lower jaw’s not relaxed, it’s resistant. No such problem in your pic (!).